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The Reds thread started to get derailed from NFL draft talk so I thought I'd start one here. The first round begins next Thursday, April 26th in prime time - 8 PM. Rounds 2-3 will air Friday, April 27th at 7 PM and the final four rounds will conclude on Saturday, April 28th at 12 noon. Curious what everyone hopes their teams do in the draft and any players, trades or other pertinent info to look out for.

As a Browns fan they have to nail this draft with all of their picks in the first two rounds: #1, #4, #33, #35 & #64. I will be absolutely shocked if they do not draft a QB #1 overall. The recent trade for Buffalo's Tyrod Taylor gives them a veteran's stability at the position and takes the pressure off to immediately start any rookie QB. He can hold a clipboard and learn from the sideline during the coming season. At #4 I want them to select DE Bradley Chubb if he is still there. Pairing him on the other side of the DLINE with last year's #1 Myles Garrett would be effin' awesome. I know Barkley may be there as well but I hesitate to take a running back that high at the expense of a premiere push rusher. I really hope they don't trade out of the #4 pick unless it is an all-world offer and Chubb is not available.

For Cleveland's three second round picks they need to draft preferably an OL with the retirement of First Ballot HOF'er Joe Thomas and a RB - maybe one of the kids from Georgia. They could also package one or more of these picks to trade back up in the first round if there is a player left on the board they are enamored with.

In terms of players, I absolutely love the LB Griffin kid from UCF. What a heart, competitor and talent with only one hand. I don't know where he'll get drafted but he's going to make a team better for sure. I'm also intrigued about Baker Mayfield - not the biggest, most athletic, big armed QB but all he does is make plays and is competitive as hell. Can he be effective in the NFL?

How about your teams? I know most on here are Bengals fans...

Trying to find some decent draft player rankings. Please share a link if you know of a good one. Here's one from NFL.com:

Top 150

Here's a Top 100 list from Sports Illustrated:

Top 100

This one has a more detailed ranking by position group:

Position Groups

cbs sports

Yeah, like this is going to stick - a team-by-team 7 round draft mock. Still, for poops and giggles:

CBS Sports 7 Round Draft Mock

NFL.com 7 Round Draft Mock

Hank Azaria called into a radio program today in character as a washed up baseball announcer that had been at the bar all morning, and wanted to talk about the NFL draft. He said something like, "I really hope the Browns take that Josh Allen, because that is the most Browns thing anyone could do. Use the first overall pick on a younger, less accurate Blake Bortles. I mean, I like a tall good looking quarterback as much as the next guy. And yeah, he has a rocket arm, but it looks like that rocket was designed in North Korea. Half the time he tries to make a five yard pass to the running back in the flat, the ball takes a dip in the Sea of Japan."

Made me think of this thread.

Honestly, with all the talk about Allen going to the Browns it would seem to be all the more not likely. A pre-draft smoke screen. I wouldn't be surprised if they pick Baker Mayfield or someone unexpected. If it were up to me, I would take Darnold.

Peter King's (one and only?) mock is up and his pick for the Bengals is a surprise you can find here.

(04-23-2018 10:36 AM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  Peter King's (one and only?) mock is up and his pick for the Bengals is a surprise you can find here.

Yea, that isn't happening

The Bengals aren't a invite guys in to throw other teams off type of team. I think the interest is legitimate.

(04-23-2018 11:03 AM)RealDeal Wrote:  The Bengals aren't a invite guys in to throw other teams off type of team. I think the interest is legitimate.

I think you are probably right about the Bengals having legit interest (btw it's OK to talk about Jackson, I just wanted to give people a chance to find it out for themselves in context first.) The consensus on him seems to be that he needs at least a year or two of development but if it takes (and supposedly Jackson has a great work ethic), he could be the best and obviously most dynamic QB in the draft. The comp I've seen is Michael Vick without the issues.

That gives you another year or two of Dalton at which point you can decide whether to make the switch (most likely yes). Supposedly New England, who also had Jackson in for a visit, is thinking seriously about taking Jackson at 23 (if he's still there) in a scenario with parallels to the Bengals.

CBS Sports has a listing of 6 different sports writers mock drafts for the first round that are updated every few days. Here are the AFC North picks from each writer:

Baltimore
#16 D.J. Moore, Maryland, Jr, WR
#16 Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma St., Sr, QB
#16 Calvin Ridley, Alabama, Jr, WR
#16 D.J. Moore, Maryland, Jr, WR
#16 Hayden Hurst, S. Carolina, Jr, TE
#16 Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma St., Sr, QB

Cincinnati
#21 James Daniels, Iowa, Jr, C
#21 Joshua Jackson, Iowa, Jr, CB
#21 James Daniels, Iowa, Jr, C
#21 Will Hernandez, UTEP, Sr, OG
#21 James Daniels, Iowa, Jr, C
#21 Isaiah Wynn, Georgia, Jr, OG

Cleveland
#1 Josh Allen, Wyoming, Jr, QB/#4 Bradley Chubb, NCSU, Sr, DE
#1 Josh Allen, Wyoming, Jr, QB/#12 Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame, Sr, OT/#23 Harold Landry, Boston College, Sr, DE
#1 Sam Darnold, USC, Soph, QB/#4 Bradley Chubb, NCSU, Sr, DE/#27 Maurice Hurst, Michigan, Sr, DT
#1 Josh Allen, Wyoming, Jr, QB/#4 Bradley Chubb, NCSU, Sr, DE
#1 Josh Allen, Wyoming, Jr, QB/#12 Minkah Fitzpatrick, Alabama, Jr, FS/#22 Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame, Sr, OT
#1 Josh Allen, Wyoming, Jr, QB/#12 Harold Landry, Boston College, Sr, DE/#22 Kolton Miller, UCLA, Jr, OT

Pittsburgh
#28 Derrius Guice, LSU, Jr, RB
#26 Rashaan Evans, Alabama, Sr, ILB
#28 Rashaan Evans, Alabama, Sr, ILB
#28 Justin Reid, Stanford, Jr, FS
#28 Mike Hughes, UCF, Soph, CB
#28 Rashaan Evans, Alabama, Sr, ILB

CBS Sports First Round Mocks

Kiper posted his final BIG Big Board (All 300) along with his top prospects at each position, and three Bearcats made the list...

Jaylyn Minor (#24 ILB)
Devin Gray (#60 WR)

and


Will Stuer?!?!?! (#32 Guard)

Alright...who's going to tell him...guys...?

Cleveland and Josh Allen? The most likely top 5 QB bust probably ever and the Browns? Good luck with that.

Funny how Hobson had bengals taking Ridley the Alabama WR who I think may actually slide to rd2.

Meanwhile enquirer guys keep picking billy price. Sure why not he went to osu. But he’s rated mid 2nd rounder right now.

Ragnow and Daniels seem to fit at 21.

I’m guessing bengals will try to make due with Fisher are RT and will pass on McGlinchey. Hopefully they won’t be idiots and take Miller or Williams there

Bengals don’t spend 1s or 2s on linebackers and by the way can’t seem to draft one that’s any good. I can’t imagine there is any connection.

Only DT to take by 21 is the Washington dude but he’s prob gone.

So that all said it’s leaping Lamar Jackson. Hope he can beat the Steelers.

I think the Bengals will go with James Daniels at 21.


Some possible names at 46 could be:

Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama

Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan

Nathan Shepherd, DT, Fort Hays State


I wouldn't even mind another Olineman at 46.

(04-24-2018 01:59 PM)airjrdan08 Wrote:  I think the Bengals will go with James Daniels at 21.


Some possible names at 46 could be:

Ronnie Harrison, S, Alabama

Maurice Hurst, DT, Michigan

Nathan Shepherd, DT, Fort Hays State


I wouldn't even mind another Olineman at 46.

Hearing Hurst medical issue taking home off some boards

as for bengals another name I like for 21 is Landry of BC...I’d really like to see the bengals actually have a smothering aggressive defense and not the overrated version played by the guy who departed for Oakland

Lap is predicting Ragnow. I’d say that’s a pretty strong bet at this point.

Mayock's top 100 is out for NFL.com. I don't claim to be an expert, but if you are forcing me to say who's currently the media's most reputable NFL draft guru, I'd go with him.

(04-24-2018 01:33 PM)50Cent Wrote:  Funny how Hobson had bengals taking Ridley the Alabama WR who I think may actually slide to rd2.

Meanwhile enquirer guys keep picking billy price. Sure why not he went to osu. But he’s rated mid 2nd rounder right now.

Ragnow and Daniels seem to fit at 21.

I’m guessing bengals will try to make due with Fisher are RT and will pass on McGlinchey. Hopefully they won’t be idiots and take Miller or Williams there

Bengals don’t spend 1s or 2s on linebackers and by the way can’t seem to draft one that’s any good. I can’t imagine there is any connection.

Only DT to take by 21 is the Washington dude but he’s prob gone.

So that all said it’s leaping Lamar Jackson. Hope he can beat the Steelers.

I'm not sure there's a strong consensus on who the best C is in this draft. PFF adores Ragnow based upon his college performance, but I've seen several that don't even list Ragnow in their 3 round mocks. I'm inclined to agree with you though that I"d prefer Ragnow or Daniels to Price. Mayock agrees as he has Daniels (#17 overall) and Ragnow (#19) fairly far ahead of Price (#45). Plus it's not at all out of the question to think an OG like Wynn (#24) or maybe Will Hernandez (#29) could also handle the C position. Lots of options here. The Bengals have been known to double up in the past, I could see them going for interior offensive linemen in both R1 and R2 (especially if Price is still there for them @46.) On that note, Hobson's draft was done with media from most teams' cities making their picks for them and he had the Bengals taking Hernandez over the also available Price in R2 at 46 (after taking a WR in R1 as you mentioned.)

McGlinchey seems to have separated himself as the top OT and it looks like he'll be long gone by 21. (Mayock may have a ND bias but he has him as #8 overall). I agree with you (and Mayock) that I'm not real sold on Williams (#40) or Miller (#31) at 21.

I'm still leaning towards a center given the fit in talent and need but I dunno, the more I think about it, the more I could see going with Lamar. He's a risk and probably at least one year away from anyone being comfortable with him as a starter, but the opportunity to get a potential game changer at QB doesn't come around often especially if you aren't picking in the top 5 of the entire draft.

Lapham is typically the most in tune member of the media when it comes to all Bengals matters, especially the draft, so I'll be interested in hearing his take as we enter the homestretch.

(04-24-2018 02:48 PM)50Cent Wrote:  Lap is predicting Ragnow. I’d say that’s a pretty strong bet at this point.

Found Hoard's draft interview with Lap here.

OL is Lap's wheelhouse so it was worth a listen. He was very impressed with Price but liked Ragnow just a little more based upon the film. I'm not sure he said it exactly, but it was pretty clear he sees Daniels as the #3 C. FWIW, Hoard's pick was Price.

They also talked about who might possibly slide that they would take (Lap said McGlinchey) and also who their dream slides would be. No discussion of Lamar Jackson although Baker Mayfield was Hoard's dream slide.

Meanwhile, back to OL and illustrating the difference of opinion on the C position, here's a quote from McShay:

Quote:Offensive linemen I'm hearing are likely to go in Round 1:

OT: Nelson, Mike McGlinchey, Kolton Miller

C/G: James Daniels, Connor Williams